Media reports indicate that Elon Musk is currently in Beijing, discussing the implementation of autonomous driving capabilities for Tesla vehicles in China.

Musk aims to introduce Full Self-driving (FSD) features in China and utilize data gathered within the country to refine its algorithms. While FSD is accessible in several countries, it has yet to debut in China.

This development follows a US report linking Tesla's autonomous driving features to at least 13 accidents, including one fatality. China stands as Tesla's second-largest market, with competitors like Xpeng, based in Guangzhou, endeavoring to match Tesla's self-driving functionalities.

To ease concerns within Chinese regulatory circles, Tesla has proactively established a data center in Shanghai, ensuring compliance with local data protection laws.

This visit coincides with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's (NHTSA) ongoing inquiry into the effectiveness of a previous Tesla recall addressing safety issues related to its driver assistance system.

The NHTSA observed a lack of driver engagement in crashes despite requirements for vigilance and readiness to assume control during autonomous driving scenarios.

Tesla's software is designed to monitor driver attentiveness and restrict feature usage to appropriate driving conditions, such as highway driving.

Mr Musk has promised that Teslas will be able to act as autonomous "robotaxis" for years. In 2015, he said Teslas would achieve "full autonomy" by 2018. And in 2019, he said the company would have robotaxis operating by the following year.

This month, the Tesla CEO said he would reveal the company's robotaxi in August.

Critics accuse Mr Musk of consistently hyping up the prospects of full autonomous driving to prop up the company's share price, which has fallen on the back of challenges including falling demand for electric vehicles worldwide and competition from cheaper Chinese manufacturers. Mr Musk denies the accusations.

The carmarker's profits fell sharply in the first three months of the year to $1.13bn (£910m), compared with $2.51bn in 2023. Its stock has collapsed by 43% this year.

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